Following the release of the much-anticipated findings of Bihar's caste census by the Nitish Kumar-led state government, Samrat Choudhary, the state BJP unit chief, issued a challenge to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. Choudhary dared them to resign from their respective positions and appoint individuals from the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) community as the new Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister.
Choudhary stated, "As Bihar's caste census findings are out, I dare Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav to quit from the government and appoint someone from the EBC community as the Chief Minister and Deputy CM. Then, everyone will think that they are genuinely concerned about the welfare and progress of the EBCs."
The recently released caste census data revealed that the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) constitute the largest social segment in the state, accounting for 36 percent of Bihar's total population, which stands at slightly over 13.07 crore.
Choudhary also expressed doubts about the accuracy of the census data, particularly in cases of individuals involved in inter-caste and inter-religious marriages. He cited the example of Tejashwi Yadav and his wife, who come from different castes and religions, questioning how their enumeration was conducted. In 2022, Tejashwi Yadav married Rachel Godinho (now Rajshree Yadav), who is a Christian.
Choudhary raised concerns about the methodology used for enumeration when Bihar has seen numerous inter-caste and inter-religious marriages.
Previously, Choudhary had criticized Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav over the caste census, labeling it as mere "eye-wash" and "caste-based politics." He accused them of playing caste-based politics and claimed that Nitish Kumar had not done enough for the backward class community, further asserting that the Bihar Chief Minister had not contributed to the state's development.
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